Wing beam



July 8, 1941.

R. J. wooDs wme BEAM Filed Jan. 26, 19:59

3 Sheets-Sheet I 1 gmmwm Roesnr J. Wpoos July 8, 1941. R. J. WOODS 2,248,520

WING BEAM Filed Jan. 26, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Run? 1.! Mona R. J. WOODS uly 8, 1941.

wme BEAM Filed Jan. 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 kw a.

gwuawvlxw ROBERT J. M003 Patented July f8, 1941 i UNITED ;STATEs;

PATENT OF F-lC -E" Bell Aircraft Co poration, Buffalo, N. Y., a cor- I iwration of New York Application January 26, 1939, Serial No. 252,962

' 6 Claims." iotna-12s) My invention relates to airplane construction, more particularly to the construotion'of a boxbeam in a wing which also forms an integral fuel tank. Heretofore, it has been difficult to provide a constant strength beam. for the wing of an airplane without excessive splicing of members to reduce gases. The saving in weight inherent in reducing the absolute strength of a beam progressively from its point or load towardthe end of its sustaining length, has in the'pastbeen considerably dissipated by the necessity of using different sized members which must overlap and receive rivets at their junction areas. Thus the saving in weight has been overcome by the adding weight of overlapping partsand of rivets. Another diiiiculty has been that the'weight of fuel tanks with their skin and bailie plates has been added to that oi the wing even where those tanks approach the outside dimension of a portion of the wing.

One, of the objects of my invention is to overcome the above mentioned difliculties.

Another object of my invention is to provide a'box beam having reenforcing blocks that taper and longitudinally of the beam shown in Figure 2, takenalong the lines 6-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken along the lines 5-5 of Figure'4r I I I Referring to Figure 1, it will'be seen that a "fuselage I and nacelles 2 and 2' are joined by beam structure 3. Entending symmetrically out from the nacelles land 2. are beams which need only be described as to one side. The beams ext' tending out from nacelle 2 to the wing tip are front beam l, rear beam 5 and auxiliary beam I I 6. A fuel tank indicated generally by the nu- Ineral .I is shown to be formed integrally with the front beam 4 and the rear beam 5 a short distance out .in the wing from the nacelle.

its shown in Figures 2 and 3 the front bearn 4 and the rear beam 5 are Joined in box beam, construction by bulkheads 3 and skin 9 to form I monocoque spar 9. It can be seen that iront beans is angularly disposed in relation to the hinges i0 and ii forming a tapering box beam with the rear beam 5. The stringers 12 extend ing longitudinally of the box beam fade out as they encounter the front beam 4. Flush hatches to zero, from the inboard to the outboard ends- I; and I! allow access to certain of the stringof the wing.- Still another object of my invention isto provide a box beam composed ofthe front and rear beams, the skin of the wing, reenforcing blocks,

and bulkheads joined in monocoque construction.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a box beam for the front portion of a wing part of which iorms an integral fuel tank, .the supporting structure of the beam allowing only a retarded flow of fuel longitudinally of the win g.-

A still further object of my. invention is to cause the bulkheads or mybox beam constructiontoact assurge plates.

With these and other objects oLmy invention I whichwill be apparent'irom the succeeding ex- I planation I have shown, for the purpose of making my invention more clearly understood. the I following drawings, as the preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that they I are to be taken inv an illustrativerather than in alimiting SBDS'G. 1 i

Figure 1' shows a plan view of' an airplane of- "outboard powered monoplane construction, show- I ing the location of the beam structure pertinent tothis invention, in dotted lines. f

Figure 2 is a plan-view partially broken away Figure 3 is a side elevation of the beam shown in Figure 2. I

- Figure 4 is an enlarged sectiontaken vertically' ers i2.

as best shown in Figure 3 struts 14, 15, and

,fltted into notches into the inboard ends of the reenforcing blocks i9 and 20 which are secured to the top and bottom of the rear beam i. As

.shown in Figure 5 reenforcing blocks 2! and 22 similarly carrying hinges Ii and ii are supplied for the top and bottom of thefront beam t. It will be seenthat the *reenforcing blocks it to '23 inclusive have their outboard ends at a point'near the longitudinal mid-point of 'the wing as illustrated by the terminal points 23 and it.

As shown in Figures4 and 5 the upper portion of the rear beam 5 carried by hinge ill and the lower portion of the rear beam 5 carried by hinge fl! are Joined by stress member 25 and bulkhead Outboard from hatches it, it and it are bulk- .headsjl to i l-inclusive'forming with spar t the fuel tank 1.1, It oanjbe seen that stringers it lie betweenth'eouter skin 9 and the bulkheads and so are joined to both the skin and the bulkheads.

Upper skin 1 and lower skin 32 vertically. con- I -necting webs 33 and 34 of the beam 4' and 5,

form the longitudinal walls of the integral fuel I tank. These webs 34 and 3t terminate into longitudinally extending angles 33 and 34'. The

cross sectional area of these angles taper as they approach the wing end of the beam.

Bulkhead 2B is seen to have the angle pieces at its top and bottom joiningthe bulkhead 28 to the stringers 52. Border angles 36 protect and brace apertures 31 in the bulkhead 28 allowing a restricted passage of fuel-between the compartments formed bythe bulkheads 21 to 3| inelusive. and bottom of the spar 9' and provide for their further strength. Bulkheads 29 and 30 are similarly constructed. Bulkheads 21 and 3| on the other hand do not have an aperture extending through them, but on the contrary have sealpaneis 393 and 30 respectively on one side instead of the border angles 36 in the case of bulkheads 88, 29 and to. Sealing panel 39 fits on the inboard side of bulkhead 21 and overlapping the aperture thereof. In'the case of bulkhead 3| sag panel to is similarly aflixed to the outboard side.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an easily constructed constant strength wing spar having bulkheads in a portion of the wing spar which acts as sides for an integral fuel tank while the intervening bulkheads have apertures enabling them to act as surge plates. Further more it can be seen that my box beam construction allows a constant diminution in absolute strength from the inboard to the outboard end without the necessity of splicing members and without the multiplicity of parts.

It will also be seen that I have so positioned wing spar as to eliminate a passage of structural members therethrough otherthan to which contribute to the proper functioning of the fuel tank. It will further be seen that my construction enables the constant tapering of absolute beam strength by the tapering of reenforcing blocks at the top and bottom of the front and rear beams. It will also be seen that I secure the-wing hinges to the reenforclng blocks by interfltting them with reenforcing blocks and securing them as by welding.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to v be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that "many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the. art, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, or-exceeding the scope'of the appended claims.

Iclaim: I 1. In an airplane wing construction, a spar comprising a front beam and a rear beam, the

' front beam being angularly and rearwardly inclined from its inboard to its outboard ends. relatively tothe rear beam, reenforcing blocks for the beams tapering constantly when considcred from their inboard to their outboard ends;

said outboard ends for said reenforcing blocks being at points subsantially-midway of the longitudinal dimension of the spar, said reenforc-' ing blocks having notches in their inboard end,

hinges for the front beam and the rearbeam.

stringers.

Ribs unite the angles 35 at the topsidered from their inboard to their outboard ends, and the said reinforcing blocks terminating at a point substantially midway of the longitudinal dimension of the spur.

3. In a. wing construction for an airplane, a spar of monocoque construction comprising a front and a rear beam, the front beam being angularly and rearwardly inclined from its inboard to its outboard end relative to the rear beam, a plurality of bulkheads joining the two reinforcing blocks forming the top and bottom of each beam, an angle iron attached to each reinforcing block. the said reinforcing blocks and angle irons extending longitudinally of the spar and tapering constantly when considered from their inboard to their outboard ends, and the said reinforcing blocks terminating at a point substantially midway of, the longitudinal dimension of the spar, hinges mounted on the inboard extremities of theiront and rear beams, said hinges being designed to aid in attaching the spar to an airplane, andstringcrs connecting the bulkheads.

4. In a wing construction for an airplane, a' spar of monocoque construction comprising afront 1 and a rear beam, the front beam being angularly and rearwardly inclined from its inboard to its outboard end relative to the rearbeam, aplurality of bulkheadsioining the two beams, reinforcing blocks forming the top and bottom of each beam, an angle iron attached to each reinforcing block, the said reinforcing blocks and angle irons extending longitudinally of the spar and tapering constantly when considered from their inboard to their outboani ends, and the said reinforcing blocks terminating at a point substantially midway of the longitudinal dimension of thelpar, notches in the inboard ends of the said reinforcing blocks, hinges adapted to aid in attach ingthespartoanairplanemountedonthefront and rear beams. said hinges interntting the said notches, and stringers connecting the bulkheads, said stringers fading out as they approach the frontbeam.

5. In owing construction for an airplane, a spar of monocoquc construction comprising a front and a rear beam, the'front beam bein angularly and reorwardly inclined from its inboard to its outboard end relative to the rear beam, each of said beams comprising a web outboard ends, their inboard ends lying at a 1 point substantially midway of the longitudinal dimension .of the spar, bulkheads joining the two beams, stringers connecting the bulkheads, said stringers fading out as they approach the front beam, and hinges mounted on the front and rear beams, said hinges being designed to aid in attaching the spar to an airplane. j

6. In a wing-.constructlon'tor an airplane, a

'spar of monocoque construction containingan enclosed. fuel tank comprising a front and a rear beam, the front beam being angularly and rearwardly inclined from its inboard to its outboard end relative to the rear beam, each of said beams comprising a web member, a reinforcing block mounted on the top and bottom of each web, the said reinforcing blocks and webs extending longitudinally of the spar and tapering constantly board ends, and the said reinforcing blocks and when considered from their inboard to their out- 15 webs terminating at ,a point substantially midway of the longitudinal dimension of the spar; an angle iron attached to each of the reinforcing blocks, said angle irons tapering constantly from their inboard to their outboard ends. their inboard ends lying at a point substantially midway of the longitudinal dimension of the spar, a pair of spaced solid bulkheads joining the two beams, said bulkheads forming with the web members a fuel tank, and apertured bulkheads intermediate the said solid bulkheads, said apertured bulkheads being designed to act as surge plates within the tank.

' ROBERT J. WOODS.

CERTIFICATE OF 'comc'non. Patent no. 2,2 ,52o. y 'J'ulym 8, 19141.

ROBERT J. woons. It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificat i on of the ebove numbered patent requiring eorrection as follewsg Page 1, aecpnd'celmfin, line 1&6, for the word "hatches" read -atruts--'; gnd thatthe seid Letters Patent should-be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record ofgthe ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed thisv lhth day of 0ctober,-.A." 19M.

Henry Van Arsdele, (seal) Acting ConnnissionrefPatents. 

